Equality Magazine Summer 2016

H U M A N

R I G H T S

C A M P A I G N

LOVE CONQUERS HATE

EL AMOR CONQUISTA

AL ODIO REMEMBERING ORLANDO & STEPPING UP THE FIGHT AGAINST HATE VIOLENCE

SUMMER 2016

our mission is clear

TO MAKE THE WORLD A M O R E C O M F O R TA B L E — A N D S A F E — P L A C E : FOR EVERYONE. #WeAreOrlando

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lacey All WA, Ian Barrett TX, Bruce Bastian UT, Vanessa Benavides CA, Scott Bishop NC, Chris Boone CA, Paul Boskind TX, Ken Britt GA, Todd Canon TX, Chris Carolan NY, Bill Donius MO, Patty Ellis PA, Christopher Flynn MA, Chad Griffin DC, Suzanne Hamilton OH, James Harrison TX, S. Kelly Herrick CA, Tom Knabel MN, Chris Labonte PA, Ryan Levy TX, DyShaun Muhammad MN, Robert Newhart IL, Bryan Parsons CA, Lester Perryman LA, Cat Reid WA, Cheryl Rose OH, Linda Scaparotti CA, Patrick Scarborough AL, Ames Simmons GA, Steve Sorenson CA, Meghan Stabler TX, Ben Waldman WA

FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gwen Baba CA, Bruce Bastian UT, Jay Biles NC, Scott Bishop NC, Todd Canon TX, Edie Cofrin GA, Bill Donius MO, Patty Ellis PA, Anne Fay TX, Charlie Frew GA, Chad Griffin DC, Suzanne Hamilton OH, Britt Kornmann TX, Tom Kovach NV, Bobbi Lancaster AZ, Joan Lau PA, Andy Linsky CA, Justin Mikita CA, Joshua Miller NV, Bryan Parsons CA, Cheryl Rose OH, John Ruffier FL, Linda Scaparotti CA, Candice Shapiro MA, Judy Shepard WY, Ames Simmons GA, Ashley Smith DC, Michael Smithson OH, Steve Sorenson CA, Deb Taft MA, Faye Tate CO, Paul Thompson CA, Rebecca Tillet PA, Robb Webb TX

Photo: Matt McClain / Getty Images

BOARD OF GOVERNORS Marilyn Abalos NY, John Affuso MA, Jack Albers CA, Steve Amend NV, Tal Anderson MN, Debra Bacchi NY, Jennifer Bajorek TX, Greg Battaglia NY, Andrew Beaudoin FL, Brittany Binler PA, Brooke Bishop OH, Angel Boord VA, Stefani Borg OH, Blake Brockway TN, Linda Brown OR, K Jason Bryan MN, Brian Buzby TX, Rory Cahn OH, Jeremy Carter NC, Blaise Caudill AZ, Steven Cayton GA, Angie Cottrell MO, Dolores Covrigaru NY, Thomas Cowley CA, June Crenshaw DC, Lynn Currie TX, Lance Demaline OH, Brad DiFiore GA, Cristina DiGoia NV, Jaime Duggan TX, Ann Dyste MN, Cate Eble NC, Cordy Elkins MA, Alex Ernst NY, Xavier Esters IL, Melanie Falls OH, Chris Fasser NY, Maria Fasulo NY, Michael Fifield UT, Gabe Fischer CO, Jenny Ford TN, Ashley Fowler IL, Sarah Garber MO, Matt Garrett GA, Ben Gibbs GA, Melinda Greene GA, Lisa Guillory LA, Erin Gurak TX, Randall Hance TX, Matt Hendry CA, Gary Hilbert NJ, Ann Hooper NC, Lon Hurst TN, Korrine Johnson FL, Alyssa Jones MA, Ann Kaner-Roth MN, Clayton Katz TX, Dean Keppler WA, Anne Klingeberger IL, Champ Knecht NY, Kevin Knoblock MA, Keith Laepple WA, David Lahti CA, Andrew Land GA, Jason Laney DC, Duane Lefevre MA, Chris Lehtonen CA, Luigi Lewin NY, Victor Lim IL, Chris Lindsey TX, Anna Lineback NC, Michael Long OR, Thomas Macias CA, Lisa Marchbanks CA, Cody Martin CA, David Martinez, III AZ, Dan Mauney NC, Colette Melancon LA, Rich Meyers CA, Michael Moore OH, Karen Morgan OH, Chris New GA, Khoa Nguyen MD, Roger Nyhus WA, Derek Osterman MA, Tonya Pacetti-Perkins TX, Byron Pelt GA, Densil Porteous OH, Kaitlin Porter GA, Ron Quinn NV, Layne Rackley CA, Victor Ravago CA, Catherine Reid WA, Brandie Reiner AZ, Barry Robertson TX, Marvin Rocha PA, Geri Rochino CA, Mario Rodas MA, Liz Rodriguez TX, Christian Rogers LA, Andrea Rubin LA, Brigid Scarbrough GA, Paul Schiminsky NV, Elizabeth Schlesinger MO, Shelly Schoenfeld NC, Dustin Schrecengost UT, Alicia Schwarz MN, Dan Slater CA, Matt Smith TX, Neil Smith NC, Michael Smithson OH, Greg Snow MA, Katherine Sprissler-Klein PA, Rick Straits OH, Jeff Strater TX, Rick Taylor OH, Julian Tovar TX, Bonnie Uphold CA, Sean VanGorder NV, Lauren Verrusio NY, Melissa Vivanco TX, Lou Weaver TX, Jamaul Webster NY, Aaron Weiner OH, Amy White WA, Andrew Winters MD, Phillip Wright TX

EMERITUS COUNCIL David Beckwith CA, Ken Britt GA, Lawrie Demorest GA, Tim Downing OH, Jody Gates LA, Barry Karas DC, Joni Madison NC, Lucilo Peña TX, Dana Perlman CA, Henry Robin NY, John Sullivan MN, Rebecca Tillet PA CURRENT AS OF JUNE 30, 2016

On the cover: Honoring the 49 people slain in Orlando, Fla., at HRC’s headquarters.

Read Equality on your iPad — now available in the Apple iTunes Apps Store.

Just type in “Human Rights Campaign Equality Magazine.”

DEAR FRIENDS,

T

he unspeakable act of violence that took place in Orlando has rocked this community, our nation and all citizens of the world, to our core. The largest mass shooting in American history stole the lives of 49 innocent LGBTQ people and allies, and injured 53 others simply because of who they are and who they love.

These 49 LGBTQ people and allies, most of them Latinx, were brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors, boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives. But above all, they were human beings — human beings who were loved, who had hopes and dreams for long and full lives. And it is up to us to keep their memories alive and to fight back against this hate.

That’s why HRC’s Board of Directors convened an emergency session in the days after the Orlando attack to adopt a resolution addressing the epidemic of hate that has fueled anti-LGBTQ-motivated murder, assault and discrimination, as well as commonsense gun violence prevention policies that would help keep the LGBTQ community safe. It has become painfully and tragically clear that the safety and equality of LGBTQ people in the United States requires the adoption of commonsense gun violence prevention measures, including limiting access to assault-style rifles, expanding background checks and limiting

the ability for suspected terrorists and those with a history of domestic abuse to access guns.

The deadly attack against our community at Pulse nightclub was the result of a toxic combination of two things: a deranged, unstable individual who had been conditioned to hate LGBTQ people, and easy access to military-style guns. It is imperative that we address both issues in order to protect our community. As a society, we must hold accountable lawmakers, religious leaders and other public officials who put a target on the backs of LGBTQ people through hateful rhetoric and legislation, because they are complicit in the violence fueled by their words and actions. And today, the safety of the LGBTQ community also depends on our ability to end an epidemic of gun violence that has spiraled out of control.

Ultimately, the hatred that motivated this attack in Orlando is the same hatred that killed Matthew Shepard. It is the same hatred behind the killings at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, the murders of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill and the massacre at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin. And it is this hate we must work to defeat each and every day.

Because we are Muslim and Jewish, we are black, white and Latinx, we are immigrants and women and people living with disabilities.

Our community is as diverse as the fabric of our nation.

So as we march forward in the wake of this tragedy, with the memories of the victims held close to our hearts, we must prove what we have proven so many times before: That we will not be silenced, we will not be intimidated, because together, we are stronger than fear, and love will always conquer hate.

Sincerely,

Chad Griffin President, Human Rights Campaign

WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

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HRC SENIOR STAFF Chad Griffin President Jay Brown Director of Communications Nicole Cozier Director of Diversity & Inclusion Ann Crowley Vice President of Membership & Online Strategy Olivia Alair Dalton Senior Vice President of Communications & Marketing Robert Falk General Counsel Andrea Green Finance Director Anastasia Khoo Chief Marketing Officer

INSIDE

Don Kiser Creative Director Joni Madison Chief Operating Officer & Chief of Staff

FEATURES

Mary Beth Maxwell Senior Vice President of Programs, Research & Training Ben Needham Director, Project One America

Jim Rinefierd Vice President of Finance & Operations Becky Ross Human Resources Director Marty Rouse National Field Director

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Susanne Salkind Vice President of Human Resources & Leadership Development Christopher Speron Vice President of Development David Stacy Governmental Affairs Director Sarah Warbelow Legal Director JoDee Winterhof Senior Vice President of Policy & Political Affairs

HRC EQUALITY STAFF

UPFRONT Pentagon Ends Ban … A Big Mississippi Win …

68 Companies Sign HRC Brief Against HB 2

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COVER: WE ARE ORLANDO: THE STOLEN LIVES, THE PERSONAL STORIES

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Robert Villaflor Design Director Sarah Streyle Associate Director of Design Mary Wood Design Assistant

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#STOPTHEHATE: HRC STEPS UP THE FIGHT, CALLS FOR UNITY

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WHY WE NEED HATE CRIME PROTECTIONS … SAFETY FIRST: A CHANGED LANDSCAPE

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BATTLING AN EPIDEMIC

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ON THE GROUND, AFTER THE ATTACKS

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POST-ORLANDO: CLINTON’S CALL TO STAND TOGETHER

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HIGH STAKES ON ELECTION DAY

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LOUD & CLEAR: 5 WAYS TRUMP HAS VOWED TO ROLL BACK LGBTQ EQUALITY

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RECORDAMOS: MESSAGES OF LOVE, RESOLVE & REMEMBRANCE

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Charlie Fletcher, Catherine Stookey

OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Jay Brown, Dane Grams, Mitch Johnson, Anastasia Khoo, Mollie Levin, Brandon Lorenz, Adam Marquez, Hayley Miller, Karin Quimby, Marty Rouse, Ben Shallenberger, Emily Simeral Roberts, Justin Snow, David Stacy, Adam Swaim, Sarah Warbelow Equality is a publication of the Human Rights Campaign and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Equality (ISSN 10925791) is published quarterly by HRC, 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: Free to members. Printed in the USA. The Human Rights Campaign and HRC Foundation names and Equality logos are trademarks of HRC and the HRC Foundation.

To join HRC, call 800-727-4723, visit www.hrc.org or TTY at 202-216-1572. Are you an HRC member? Have a question?

Email membership@hrc.org or call 800-727-4723. All advertisers in Equality magazine are HRC National Corporate Partners.

Because of HRC’s commitment to improving the lives of LGBTQ Americans in the workplace, all of our National Corporate Partners must demonstrate their own dedication by achieving a score of 85 percent or greater on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index. See www.hrc.org/CEI.

Pages 21 and 25 paid for by Human Rights Campaign Equality Votes and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

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WHY MEMBERSHIP MATTERS “We stand with HRC and all Americans in our belief that love will conquer hate. As veterans, we are keenly aware of that price for freedom, and I personally call on each and every one to step up their situational awareness, administer self care, and be safe out there.”

— Evan Young MAJ, U.S. Army (Ret.), Dover, Ark.

Courtesy of Evan Young

Photos (top to bottom): Alex Menendez / AP, Ryan Murphy Television, G.E. Arnold / AP, Chris O'Meara / AP

Janice Hughes Publications Director

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Cathy Nelson Senior Vice President of Development & Membership

SUMMER 2016

Celebrating the few who change the lives of many.

Citi recognizes the Human Rights Campaign and those who work together to build a better tomorrow.

Š 2015 Citigroup Inc. All rights reserved.

Citi and Citi with Arc Design are registered service marks of Citigroup Inc.

Photo: James Patterson / AP

up front BIG MISSISSIPPI WIN In a historic ruling, a U.S. District Court judge has blocked implementation of Mississippi’s harmful HB 1523, saying it created “special rights” for non-LGBT citizens, relegating LGBT people to a “second-class status.”

Judge Carlton Reeves called HB 1523 a “vehicle for state-sanctioned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.” It would have allowed ministers to deny LGBTQ people the right to marry, allowed doctors to decline surgeries for transgender people’s transitioning and allowed employers to fire single pregnant women.

On the ground in Jackson, HRC Mississippi worked with state and local groups and lawmakers, to organize opposition to the measure and continue to push for its full repeal.

The injunction comes from a case litigated by Roberta Kaplan, a leading civil rights lawyer who argued in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case, United States v. Windsor.

PENTAGON ENDS BAN The U.S. Department of Defense — the largest employer of transgender people — has officially ended its ban on transgender people being able to serve openly in all branches of the military.

There are an estimated 15,500 actively serving transgender members of the U.S. military, according to the Williams Institute. Nearly 20 countries allow transgender people to serve openly in their militaries.

HRC worked with other groups to advocate for an end to the ban and will continue working to address remaining challenges, including barriers in accessing medical care by transgender military spouses, retirees and other beneficiaries.

15,500

68 MAJOR COMPANIES SIGN HRC BRIEF, AUTHORED BY ATTORNEY TED OLSON North Carolina’s discriminatory HB 2 law should be blocked, say 68 leading companies, joining in a new HRC legal brief that lays out in detail the measure’s harmful effects on businesses.

The amicus brief, authored by former Solicitor General Theodore B. Olson — one of the country’s most prominent attorneys — and his colleagues at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, advocates for the companies’ transgender employees and customers, and their employees with transgender family members. Olson, a Republican — who made the conservative case for marriage equality — now is making the conservative and business case against HB 2.

The brief was filed in support of the U.S. Department of Justice’s request that a federal judge halt enforcement of HB 2.

The measure bans transgender people from using facilities consistent with their gender identity in government buildings (including airports and convention centers), pending a broader decision in the DOJ’s discrimination case against the state.

HB 2 has cost North Carolina 1,700-plus jobs and more than a half a billion dollars in lost and at-risk economic activity, according to estimates.

The businesses that signed the brief are: Accenture, Affirm, Inc., Airbnb, American Airlines, Apple, Biogen, Bloomberg LLP, Boehinger Ingleheim USA, Box, Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., Capital One Financial Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., Consumer Technology Association, Corning Incorporated, Cummins Inc., Dropbox, DuPont, eBay, Etsy, Everlaw, Expedia, FiftyThree, Galxyz, Gap, General Electric Company, Glassdoor, Grokker, Hilton Worldwide, Honor, IBM Corporation, IKEA North America Services, Instacart, Intel Corporation, John Hancock, Levi Strauss & Co., LinkedIn Corporation, Logitech, Marriott International, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Microsoft Corporation, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Morgan Stanley, Nextdoor, NIKE, OppenheimerFunds, Orbitz Worldwide, PayPal, Pepo, Quotient, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Red Hat, Replacements, Ltd., Salesforce, Slack, SV Angel LLC, Symantec Corporation, TD Bank, NA, Teespring, The Dow Chemical Company, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, ThirdLove, Tumblr, UnifyID, United Airlines, Williams-Sonoma, Yelp, ZestFinance and Zynga.

ACTIVELY SERVING TRANSGENDER MEMBERS OF THE U.S. MILITARY

WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

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Do more.

Achieve more.

At Microsoft, we want every individual to thrive. That means, as the communities we serve evolve, we evolve. It’s the business of inclusion.

Microsoft continues to be a proud sponsor of the Human Rights Campaign. youatmicrosoft.com

W E A R E OR L A NDO Sunday, June 12, 2016. It’s a day that many will never forget — the day when we woke up to the news of the horrific rampage during Latin Night at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla.

The largest mass shooting in u.s. history stole the lives of 49 lGbtq people and allies — some only teens — and injured 53 others. They were shot down because of who they are and who they love. Most of the victims were Latinx.

Photos/bios: Ryan Murphy Television

We’ll hold the memories of the victims close to our hearts.

And we will fight tirelessly every single day against this hate.

Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez, 27 years old. Jean started working at McDonald’s at age 15 to help support his family and was recently made the manager of a check-cashing store. He purchased his first home this spring so that his mother could live there, too. He loved to escape to the beach, though his best friend called him “a big Teddy bear who was happy when everyone depended on him.”

Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old. Stanley was a pharmaceutical technician who kidded that “The drug life chose me.” He always loved to change his hair color and style almost as much as he loved flirting with the camera. He once proclaimed, ”Yes, I wear makeup, and I’m still a man about it.”

Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old. An employee of the Pulse nightclub, DD had overcome struggles like a long-ago car accident and a more recent bout with drugs. She resumed attending church and writing poetry.

Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old. Luis shared much with his partner in love and business, Juan Pablo Rivera Velazquez.

They even went to the same Puerto Rican high school. At their salon, shy and affectionate Juan Pablo created hairstyles while gregarious Luis touched up clients’ makeup and turned up the techno music.

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Juan Pablo Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old. Juan owned a hair salon together with his partner, Luis Daniel Conde. The salon had a loyal client base and occasionally offered free services to victims of domestic abuse. He and Luis were together for 16 years and died together at the club.

Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old. Javier loved selling the latest fashions and accessories at Gucci, and the company has arranged for his body to be sent back to Puerto Rico. He playfully reimagined his name on Facebook as Harvey George Kings, and his pregnant friend recalled how he had an uncanny knack for making her baby kick.

Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old. Shane wowed crowds as the lead singer of a cover band called Frequency.

He posted on Facebook about his own anxiety after another performer, Christina Grimmie of “The Voice,” was gunned down in Orlando the night before.

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old. Danny liked to wear black and grow his sideburns long in his small town in Puerto Rico. He encountered many bullies and moved to Florida on his own. He fell in love with John Carlos Mendez Perez after they met at Perfumania. The fragrance that started the romance was Cartier’s “Declaration.”

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old. Jean sold fragrances at a Perfumania outlet. He later saw one appreciative customer who had taken his recommendation at a club and the two began an eight-year relationship.

Jean and Danny Wilson-Leon died together at Pulse.

Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old. Alejandro left his native Cuba in 2014 and was still perfecting his English. His mother was granted, through a letter to the new U.S Embassy in Havana, a humanitarian visa to reclaim his body.

Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old. She was a loving mother to 11 children.

She survived cancer twice. She loved salsa dancing, which she was enjoying with her gay son, Isaiah, whom she shielded from the gunfire.

Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old. Chris was a personal banker at JP Morgan Chase, visiting Orlando from Tampa. He was an excellent dancer who taught his friends how to do the bachata.

Franky Jimmy De Jesús Velazquez, 50 years old. Jimmy was a visual merchandiser at Forever 21, and he joked that he was older than the demographic.

In his younger days, he traveled the world as a professional Jíbero dancer.

Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old. Juan impressed his bosses as a housekeeping supervisor for resorts. He was one of three Mexican citizens who died at Pulse. They were all later honored by their homeland’s government.

Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old. Jerry loved both cats and dogs. His own canine was called Rusty. Jerry had a quiet and kind personality that suited his Disney workplace, where he was assigned to a position on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom and, before that, Tomorrowland.

Antonio Brown, 29 years old.

Antonio, an alumnus of Florida A&M, handled human resources at a Lowe’s store. In college, he joined the ROTC program and later served a yearlong tour of duty in Kuwait. In 2012, the U.S. Army awarded him the rank of captain.

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Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old. Miguel, who came to the United States from Mexico at age 4, was a soccer fan and a catering company manager.

He leaves behind his three sons who are 15, 2, and 1, and had recently organized a Ferrari-themed birthday party for his youngest.

Anthony Luis Laurean Disla, 25 years old. Anthony moved from Puerto Rico three years ago to become a choreographer.

He showed a talent for dancing by age 10, and became a master of many styles: ballroom, tango, salsa and mambo.

KJ Morris, 37 years old. KJ worked as a bouncer at Pulse, and had moved from Hawaii in April to help her mother and grandmother. She loved drag performances, college basketball and MMA fights.

Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old. Edward made it his mission to open the doors for gay Americans to travel the world, and recently coordinated the first-ever gay cruise to Cuba.

He had a signature accessory: his prized black top hat.

Frank Hernandez, 27 years old. Frankie managed a Calvin Klein store and lived for fashion.

He was planning to go to a pride celebration in New Orleans. He liked to show off a tattoo on his forearm that read, “Love has no gender.”

Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old. Akyra was on vacation after her graduation from a Philadelphia Catholic high school.

She was third in her class. She led the ladies’ Spurs basketball team with more than 1,000 points and earned a full college scholarship. She was the youngest of the victims.

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 31 years old. Joel found work on construction sites and sent portions of his paycheck home to relatives in Mexico. A loyal churchgoer, he came to America because, his cousin said, there was a lot of crime, violence and death where he grew up.

Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old. Jonathan was an assistant producer on “La Voz Kids” — Telemundo’s singing competition show for young viewers. He died, according to investigators, after standing between the shooter and his friend Mary, who was the mother of a newborn.

Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old. Mary planned this Saturday night out with friends, a treat after she gave birth to her second son three months ago. She steered everyone toward a gay club to avoid the kind of violence that had recently occurred at another local club.

Geraldo Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 years old. Geraldo, who liked to be called Drake, saved up for his trip from Puerto Rico to Orlando to see his pop idol, Selena Gomez, perform in concert the night before the shooting. He was working toward his college degree with big dreams and an optimistic outlook.

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old.

Gilberto was an only child who left Puerto Rico three years ago. He was completing his studies in health care management, and the dog show community saluted him as “one of our own.” His favorite breed was a Saint Bernard.

Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old. Mercedes moved far from her home in Queens to study literature at Valencia College. She had a love of music fostered by close family members who were DJs. She hoped to become a party planner.

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Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old. Peter, who called himself Omi, worked for UPS and liked to draw. He was a fun magnet, so much so that his aunt said, “If Peter is not at the party, no one wants to go.”

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old. Rody handled other people’s blood donations for a living, and was recently promoted to platelet supervisor. He was a skilled salsa dancer and also a prankster who could rock a bow tie.

Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old. Paul was a strong singer who could play the piano and the organ, though he never had a lesson. He worked in sales at a resort and was proud that one of his two daughters recently earned her high school diploma.

Xavier Emmanuel Serrano, 35 years old. Xavier moved from Puerto Rico 10 years ago and booked gigs as a professional salsa dancer at Walt Disney World and on large cruise ships.

He had a five-year-old son and often took side jobs for extra dollars. He recently found work at a shoe store because the hours were better for raising his boy.

Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old. Tevin was a young business owner of a Michiganbased marketing company with 20 employees. He spread enthusiasm and inspired ambition among his colleagues with motivational memes and the hashtag #LoveMyTeam.

Amanda Alvear, 25 years old.

Amanda shed 180 pounds with the help of surgery and exercise.

She hoped to leave her job in a pharmacy once she completed her nursing degree. She documented her new look in selfies and treated herself and her nieces to new clothes.

Angel Luis CandelarioPadro, 28 years old. Angel had recently moved from Chicago to Orlando and found a job that he liked in a medical practice for eye doctors. He had his own mission, though, on the side, leading workout classes as a Zumba instructor.

Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old. Simon boosted the morale at the McDonald’s that he managed by bringing his colleagues cakes on their birthdays. Born in Venezuela, he had just traveled to Canada with his partner, Oscar Aracena-Montero. They stopped to see Niagara Falls.

Oscar Aracena-Montero, 26 years old. Oscar, a business student, recently returned home from a Canadian vacation with his partner Simon, who also died at Pulse. Last year, the two chose three chihuahuas to liven up the house that they bought together.

Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old. Jason was studying computer science at Valencia College. He developed passions for photography, hiphop dance and gymnastics. His high school classmates recalled he would playfully challenge his fellow members of the cheer squad to tumbling contests.

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old. Roy recently moved to Orlando to care for his mother and took a job as an apartment rental agent. His coworkers recall that he liked to blast Adele songs in the office.

In his spare time, he choreographed original drag routines, with many set to Beyoncé and J-Lo tracks.

Enrique Rios, 25 years old.

Enrique was a faithful churchgoer, nursing student and eldercare social worker. He lived with his grandmother in Brooklyn. He could dance the bachata and the soca. He was on vacation in Orlando to celebrate a good friend’s birthday.

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Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old. Darryl administered financial aid to military students at a Jacksonville college. A former McDonald’s manager, he just completed his master’s degree in human resources management and was celebrating at Pulse.

Cory James Connell, 21 years old. Cory balanced his studies at Valencia College with his job at a supermarket. He was working toward a goal — to join the fire department. After his passing, fire officials made him an honorary firefighter.

Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old. Martin was newly enrolled as a pharmacy student in Tampa. He was in Orlando to visit his aunt and other family members. That day, he posted photos of the food that his mother in Puerto Rico had sent to Orlando for all their relatives to enjoy.

Luis Vielma, 22 years old. Luis was working toward becoming an EMT first responder while he worked at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling tweeted how her connection to Luis touched her so deeply that she couldn’t stop crying.

Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old. Eric held retail jobs at Toys R Us and then Ross. He did not frequent clubs like Pulse, but followed a crowd of friends who had begun the night at a housewarming party. He is survived by his husband of nearly one year.

Eddie Justice, 30 years old.

Eddie worked as an accountant.

He texted his mother during the attack. While waiting in the hospital, his mother described him as a young professional who lives in a sky house like the Jefferson’s. She said he liked to live rich. “Work, Eddie.” His relatives described him as a mama’s boy at heart with a smile as bright as his future.

Omar Capo, 20 years old.

Omar held jobs at Target and Starbucks while he set his sights on being a professional dancer and actor. After the shooting, his grandmother flew to be with family, and jetBlue flight attendants circulated a note of support for passengers to sign. Upon landing, each deplaning passenger offered her personal condolences and some added long letters and cash donations.

Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old. Juan was in his third year of college with a side job as a telemarketer and had begun a romance with Drew Leinonen. He came out to his family not long ago. For his upcoming birthday, they were planning to go ahead with his party anyway, with his mother cooking his favorite foods.

Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old. Christopher, who went by Drew, was a mental health therapist who founded a gay-straight alliance in high school. He was a vegetarian, an EDM enthusiast and a film buff with a massive collection of DVDs. Friends and family predicted wedding bells for Drew and his soulmate, Juan, who died with him at Pulse.

WWW.HRC.ORG

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#STOPTHEHATE

CAMPAIGN FIGHT, CALLS FOR UNITY Tens of thousands attended a vigil at Lake Eola Park, on June 19, 2016, in Orlando.

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MMEDIATELY AFTER THE RAMPAGE AT PULSE NIGHTCLUB ON JUNE 12, 2016, THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN LEAPT INTO ACTION ON SEVERAL FRONTS — PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE VICTIMS AND THEIR LOVED ONES, CALLING FOR A UNIFIED MESSAGE AGAINST HATE AS WELL AS ANNOUNCING A NEW POLICY ON COMMONSENSE GUN SAFETY.

That same afternoon, HRC President Chad Griffin — joining other civil rights leaders at the HRC building — denounced the violence, and then spoke at a vigil in Orlando the next day. Griffin also convened a special session of HRC’s national board of directors to adopt a new resolution on commonsense gun safety.

Griffin urged the country to come together to fight hate and to be inclusive.

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“LGBTQ people, we are Muslims, we are women, we are Latinos. We are as diverse as the fabric of this nation,” he told CNN. “Any attack on any one of us is an attack on all of us.” Later, HRC Southern Regional Field Director Joe Saunders spoke at a tribute in Orlando, which drew tens of thousands of people (above).

HRC also underlined the urgency for the country to advance full legal equality at the city, state and federal level, including passing the Equality Act, a comprehensive non-discrimination bill. In addition, HRC and 35 other civil rights, education and professional groups, sent a letter to the U.S. Senate, urging it to ensure that the federal government has adequate funding to respond to — and when possible — prevent, hate crimes.

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ays later, longtime civil rights leader U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia and other Democrats held a lengthy sit-in at the House of Representatives in protest of the refusal by House GOP leaders to allow a vote on gun safety after the Orlando shooting. Instead, a House committee held a hearing — on the one-month anniversary of the attack — on a deeply discriminating anti-LGBTQ bill. HRC and 50 other national organiza-

tions and 20 state and local organizations urged the committee chair, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, in a letter to cancel the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing. The legislation, the so-called First Amendment Defense Act, or FADA, would sanction taxpayer-funded discrimination against LGBTQ people.

“As a society, we must hold accountable lawmakers, religious leaders and other public officials who put a target on the backs of LGBTQ people through hateful rhetoric and legislation, because they are complicit in the violence fueled by their words and actions,” said Griffin.

“The safety of the LGBTQ community also depends on our ability to end the epidemic of gun violence that has spiraled out of control,” he said. Days after the shooting, HRC made a significant policy announcement, calling for commonsense gun violence prevention measures. (See p. 13.)

HRC also called for improved reporting of hate crimes, which are dramatically undercounted in all categories, particularly those based on gender identity, and the alarming violence countrywide — occuring against the backdrop of more than 200 anti-LGBTQ bills unveiled in 34 states this year alone.

Photo: John Raoux / AP

HRC STEPS UP THE

In another tribute to the 49 Orlando victims, HRC created a towering memorial on the outside walls of HRC headquarters in Washington to the 49 people who died — many of them teens, the majority of them Latinx — by installing huge images of each, with their names, on the outside of the building.

oon after the tragedy, Emmy Award-winning director Ryan Murphy asked HRC what he could do to help. He and producer Ned Martel, with their colleagues at Ryan Murphy Television, created a special video tribute, sharing the names and individual stories of the 49 people who lost their lives. Actors, directors, musicians and others joined the effort, shot in Los Angeles.

Each vignette in the 18-minute video begins with a photo of a victim, followed by a celebrity saying their name, age and details about their lives: what they loved to do, how they fell in love with their partners, or challenges they faced in their lives.

“The hate that stole these 49 individuals from all those who loved them has been allowed to flourish in our country for too long,” said Murphy. “No person is born hating another, and we have an obligation as Americans to stand up against

Photos: Ryan Murphy Television

S

Lady Gaga

Kerry Washington

prejudice and bigotry that would incite violence against someone simply for who they are.”

The video, “Stop the Hate: 49 Celebrities Honor 49 Victims of Orlando Tragedy,” ends with a call to action. “Since the massacre, Congress has voted down commonsense gun safety laws … four times,” it says.

“Meanwhile, more than 200 bills targeting the LGBTQ community have been introduced in states this year. It will take all of us to change that.”

Participants (in order of appearance) were Lady Gaga, Chris Pine, Cuba Gooding Jr., Connie Britton, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson, Angela Bassett, Lea Michele, Colton Haynes, Sophia Bush, Jane Fonda, Harry Shum Jr., Denis O’Hare, Rob Reiner, Melissa Benoist, Caitlyn Jenner, Edgar Ramirez, Max Greenfield, Chaz Bono, Cheyenne Jackson, Emma Roberts, Kerry Washington, George Lopez, Evan Rachel Wood, Sofía Vergara, Diego Boneta, Nina Jacobson, Demi Lovato, Tyler Oakley, Yeardley Smith, Kid Cudi, Kaitlin Olson, Kevin McHale, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lee Daniels, Chace Crawford, Evan Peters, Gerard Butler, Katey Sagal, John Stamos, Laverne Cox, Jordana Brewster, Wes Bentley, Finn Wittrock, Darren Criss, Kathy Bates, Anna Paquin, Guillermo Díaz and Joe Mantello.

Chris Pine

Sofía Vergara

Join HRC’s #StopTheHate campaign to end anti-LGBTQ hate and gun violence. See www.hrc.org/stopthehate.

ENDORSING A COMMONSENSE APPROACH TO PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE

D

ays after the Orlando attack, the Human Rights Campaign Board of Directors adopted a resolution recommended by HRC President Chad Griffin addressing both the epidemic of hate that has fueled anti-LGBTQ-motivated murder, assault and discrimination as well as commonsense gun violence prevention policies.

For decades, LGBTQ people have been a target of bias-motivated violence. Easy access to deadly weapons has compounded the threat. HRC’s new resolution establishes an organizational position that the safety of LGBTQ people in this country requires the adoption of commonsense gun violence prevention measures. They include limiting access to assault-style rifles, expanding background checks and limiting the ability for suspected terrorists and those with a history of domestic abuse to access guns.

HRC will work in coalition with gun safety advocates and other allies, in the LGBTQ movement and beyond, to stem the epidemic of gun violence.

“Forty-nine members of our community were murdered in Orlando because of a toxic combination of two things: a deranged, unstable individual who had been conditioned to hate LGBTQ people, and easy access to military-style guns,” said Griffin. “It is imperative that we address both issues in order to mitigate safety risk to our community.”

WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

13

Forward thinking got you here. And it’s what will fuel a future of possibilities.

People who create a culture of inclusiveness are moving the world forward. We’re proud to be a Silver national sponsor of HRC. Their mission of achieving LGBT equality is an initiative that helps drive us all forward.

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SAFETY

CRIMINAL HATE: WHY WE NEED FIRST A CHANGED HATE CRIME PROTECTIONS LANDSCAPE

By Charlie Fletcher

THE KILLING OF 49 PEOPLE AT AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB IN ORLANDO WAS THE DEADLIEST MASS SHOOTING IN AMERICAN HISTORY. IT WAS ALSO ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HATE CRIMES PLAGUING OUR NATION. What exactly is a hate crime?

It’s a criminal offense committed against a person that is motivated by bias against that person’s race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity. With the added element of bias, the same offense — for example, murder — may be prosecuted as both a traditional crime and a hate crime, and the penalty becomes more severe. Hate itself is not a crime, so thoughts and speech are not punished under hate crime laws.

Although hate crimes often target individuals, the impact extends to broader communities. These crimes affect everyone by creating environments of fear, distrust, and violence. The FBI also warns that hate crimes are dangerous because groups that preach hatred and intolerance plant the seeds of terrorism.

Don’t we already have federal laws addressing hate crimes?

Yes, two federal hate crime laws allow the federal government to provide assistance in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes. The Civil Rights Act of 1968 provides protections for race, ethnicity, and religion. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 expands protections for gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. The 2009 Act commemorates Shepard who was tortured and killed in 1998 because of his sexual orientation, and Byrd, who was dragged to death behind a pick-up truck in 1998 because of his race.

Do those laws go far enough?

Despite their coverage, federal laws have restricted reach for sexual orientation and gender

Be aware, be vigilant. But don’t be afraid. identity. Unless a case involves a federal crime or interstate commerce, state laws will usually apply. Presently, only 15 states and Washington, D.C., have hate crime protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, while 15 states only protect sexual orientation. Expanded state hate crime laws are therefore necessary to ensure adequate protections and successful prosecutions where federal laws are limited.

These are key guidelines for all of us in the wake of the horrific massacre at the Pulse nightclub.

Hate, bigotry, extremism and easy access to deadly weapons have always been a volatile mix.

Deadly assaults are usually motivated by politics, ideology, religious beliefs or bullying. Now, the Orlando killings have shined a light on the LGBTQ community. The security landscape for our community, at least in the near future, has changed, according to security experts. Each of us must do our part.

Do hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people occur often?

More than 20 percent of hate crimes reported nationally in 2014 targeted peoWhether it’s at a local bar, LGBTQ cenple based on their sexual orientation or ter or event, be aware of your surroundgender identity, according to the most ings. If you see something suspicious, recent FBI statistics available. A huge report it to law enforcement. If you identify problem is that hate crime reporting an unattended, suspicious package or is not mandatory and dramatically bag, don’t touch it. Get well away from it, and keep others away. Report it to law enundercounts LGBTQ data. More forcement. Also, keep an eye on the mail; be than 2,700 city and county law aware of suspicious mail or packages. enforcement agencies nationwide — about 17 percent of such Is terrorism directed against the LGBTQ comagencies — have not reported a munity likely? No. Is it possible? Yes. single hate crime to the FBI in But again: The more aware and engaged we the past six years, according are, the safer we are. to a recent Associated Press SOME OTHER GUIDELINES: investigation. Each year, hate crimes based on sexual ori• Ask “What If” questions before an event occurs. entation and gender identity • Know at least two evacuation routes and rank in the top types, after all shelter locations. race and sometimes after • “Get Out” if possible. religion.

• “Call Out” to police when you’re in a safe location.

Also, victims of hate • “Hide Out” if you can’t get out – silence your cell crimes may be reluctant phone. Separate. Make a plan. to report crimes due to • “Take Out” the shooter if trapped and you have no opfear, embarrassment, tions. Fight like there’s no tomorrow, if you can. or distrust in law ALSO SEE: enforcement.

Fletcher, an HRC Law Fellow, attends Harvard Law School.

Recognizing the 8 Signs of Terrorism www.hrc.im/signsterrorism Active Shooter Guidance www.hrc.im/activeshooter Suspicious Package Guidance / USPS www.hrc.im/suspiciouspackage WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

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BATTLING AN

New Orleans, June 1973: Dozens die after an arsonist sets fire to the UpStairs Lounge.

EPIDEMIC HATE VIOLENCE & THE Photo: Jack Thornell / AP

LGBTQ COMMUNITY

T

he Orlando shooting is tragically the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. But sadly, we know hate violence targeting the LGBTQ community is not new. In 2015 alone, at least 21 transgender people were murdered, more than any other year on record.

June 24, 1973 — A fire roars through a second-floor New Orleans LGBTQ bar, the UpStairs Lounge, killing 32 people.

The arsonist is never caught. Some churches refuse to bury the victims. Not one city official makes a statement.

Feb. 21, 1997 — Five people are injured when a nail-laden bomb explodes inside the Otherside Lounge in Atlanta, where 150 people are gathered. A second bomb is found, unexploded, outside the LGBTQ bar. Bomber Eric Rudolph is sentenced to life in prison for this bombing and three others (at abortion clinics and the 1996 Olympics). Rudolph says that while he does not condemn homosexuality on a personal level, he believes that those who express it in public should be “ruthlessly opposed.”

Sept. 22, 2000 — A former U.S. Marine, Ronald Edward Gay — harboring resentment for anti-gay jokes directed at him because of his last name – opens fire at Backstreet Café in Roanoke, Va., when he sees two men hugging. He kills Danny Lee Overstreet, 43, and injures six others. In 2001, Gay is sentenced to four life terms.

March 1, 2009 — Three men hurl chunks of concrete at patrons at a gay bar in Galveston, Texas. One man holds open the door to Robert’s Lafitte bar while the other two grab a fourpound rock and other doorstops and throw them into the bar. One victim, Marc Bosaw, requires 12 staples in his head.

Photo: Sergio Florez / AP

ONE ASSAILANT, WHO SET OFF A NAIL-LADEN BOMB, SAID OPENLY LGBTQ PEOPLE SHOULD BE “RUTHLESSLY OPPOSED.” Oct. 3, 2010 — At the Stonewall Inn in lower Manhattan, two men attack another man in the restroom after he informs them that they are in an LGBTQ bar. The assailants are arrested, and one is later charged with hate crimes. In the same neighborhood that same weekend, an unrelated anti-LGBTQ incident also occurs. A group of six men, yelling anti-gay slurs, approach some men hugging and kissing goodbye and tell them to go home. The assailants punch the victims, and one assailant throws a trashcan at a man. The Stonewall Inn is known for its pivotal role at the beginning of the LGBTQ rights movement.

Jan. 1, 2014 — Musab Mohammed Masmari, 30, pours gasoline on the stairs of the Seattle LGBTQ club Neighbours, setting it alight shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve. More than 750 people are in the club, including many of the city’s LGBTQ leadership. No one is hurt as the fire is extinguished almost immediately.

Masmari is later sentenced to 10 years in prison.

March 28, 2016 — At the Stonewall Inn in New York, a 25-year-old transgender woman reports being sexually assaulted in an all-gender bathroom by a regular patron of the bar, a man many believe to be dealing drugs there. As of spring 2016, an investigation continues but the assailant has yet to be captured.

WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

17

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In

the early morning hours of Sunday, June 12, 2016, Roxy Santiago and other volunteers at Orlando’s LGBTQ Center woke up to frantic online messages from friends, scanned the news and then rushed to the Center. That day, and for the long, wrenching days that followed, Santiago and her colleagues worked as best they could to support the scores of victims, the injured and their loved ones after the country’s largest-ever mass shooting. The Pulse nightclub was minutes away, at a bar they knew well.

Santiago, recently elected to the Center’s board, is also a Human Rights Campaign volunteer. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she moved to Florida from New York about 20 years ago.

ON THE GROUND IN ORLANDO

Photo: Alex Menendez / AP

How are you doing? Holding up OK? Well, let me take a deep breath on that. There are times when the days get intertwined with other days, and I’m confused by which day it is. Otherwise, I think I’m doing good.

What was it like at the LGBTQ Center after the shooting? I went over to the Center and after all the hugs were given, we went right to work. When the calls came in, we knew what people needed. We knew people were waiting in line to give blood for three to five hours. Food was needed for the first responders at the Unitarian Church, where the grief counselors were, and water for the people in line to donate blood. The temperature was hot out, probably in the 90s.

Most of the victims were taken to the Orlando Regional Medical Center; many could walk there with police officers — it’s actually very close to Pulse. The volunteers were wonderful. And people were dropping things off left and right, and we got drivers to drive them where they needed to go. Everyone came together and took care of it so beautifully, no questions asked. If

we needed something, it was there. If we needed attorneys, there was somebody there. We’re still coordinating attorneys now — immigration, visas, whatever you need — the calls are coming in.

Any thoughts on how this tragedy may affect the LGBTQ community?

It’s hard to say. I reluctantly went to a hate crimes gathering, held days after the shooting, after getting an e-mail from a U.S. Justice Department official about it.

Once I was there, though, I realized that we really needed to have that conversation among different members of the community — including the FBI, Orange County, Orange Police Department — who were involved after the shooting. I realized this was an opportunity to speak and to be heard.

What happened was a hate crime.

It happened to our LGBTQ community. It happened on Latin Night. We can get the word out about our lives and who we are, and about Pulse. I know the rhetoric was, “Well, it was not really gay night. It was Latin night.” Pulse is an LGBTQ bar. The reason that bar is there is because the

owner lost her brother to AIDS and she wanted to make sure that we keep dancing for her brother.

How can we maintain the dialogue between the LGBTQ and Latinx communities? We need to have more conversations, partner with each other at events and personally invite the Latinx community to our LGTBQ events. As Latinx, we are prone to socialize with other Latinx, to hold specifically Latinthemed events. But I also notice that most LGBTQ events are not held in communities known to be Latinx communities.

Both sides will need to take steps to bring each other together — we owe it to the ones we lost and to the future children of America. The tragedy has brought people together from all backgrounds in support of the LGBTQ and Latinx communities. It has also created solidarity of love and support between the two.

Together, we will be even more of a force to be reckoned with, when it comes to laws about equality, about our lives and who we love.

WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

19

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YOU HAVE MILLIONS OF ALLIES WHO WILL ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BACK. AND I AM ONE OF THEM.

POST-ORLANDO: CLINTON’S CALL TO STAND TOGETHER

H

Photo: Susan Walsh / AP

illary Clinton is the most pro-LGBTQ U.S. presidential nominee in history. Her response to the Orlando shooting — calling on us to stand together against anti-LGBTQ hatred and terror, speaking to the strengths of our “open, diverse society” as an “asset in the struggle against terrorism, not a liability” — differed sharply from that of Donald Trump.

In the days after the tragedy, Trump’s message was divisive, as well as self-congratulatory. In a tweet the same day of the massacre, he bragged that he had predicted such an attack.

He also unleashed a torrent of racist remarks, going as far as to declare that the Muslim community “has the same

thought process” as the Orlando killer.

Later that week, Trump campaigned with North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, among the most anti-LGBTQ governors now in office. In early July, he offered a full-throated endorsement of North Carolina’s HB 2, one of the most antiLGBTQ laws in our nation’s history.

Trump still insists that he has earned our vote — despite his opposition to marriage equality, his endorsement of Kim Davis-style discrimination, his promise to undo President Obama’s executive orders and his repeated attacks on LGBTQ Americans who are Muslim, who are women, who are immigrants or who are living with disabilities. To be clear, Trump would be our enemy in chief.

His words have comforted no one, particularly those who are mourning the loss of loved ones killed in Orlando, HRC President Chad Griffin told CNN. “What Donald Trump is offering isn’t protection.

It’s poison,” he said. Trump “has promoted

and continued to promote … divisiveness and rhetoric that helps nobody.”

In contrast, Clinton’s message has been one of unity. “I want to say this to all the LGBT people grieving today in Florida and across our country: You have millions of allies who will always have your back,” she said. “And I am one of them.”

“The terrorist in Orlando targeted LGBT Americans out of hatred and bigotry. And an attack on any American is an attack on all Americans,” she added.

Clinton also denounced Trump’s stereotyping of the Muslim community, saying it plays into the terrorists’ hands, in addition to being grossly inaccurate.

Two weeks after the Orlando attack, she also attended New York City Pride — the first presumptive presidential nominee to attend a pride parade.

The contrast couldn’t be clearer. The next time that Donald Trump asks, “Who’s your friend, me or Hillary Clinton?”… we all know the answer.

WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

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Inclusion.

Respect.

Equality.

Bank of America is committed to helping create a more diverse and inclusive world, and our employees are spreading that message in communities around the country.

Join us as we work to overcome every obstacle and celebrate every triumph of the LGBT community around the world.

#OrlandoUnited | bankofamerica.com/diversity

Life’s better when we’re connected® © 2016 Bank of America Corporation. ARBXP3PV

HIGH STAKES ON ELECTION DAY

Polling Shows Growing Numbers of Americans Prefer Pro-Equality Candidates

Photo: Thinkstock

E

verything we’ve fought for, and everything we’re still fighting for, is on the ballot this election. Our opponents are threatening to roll back our progress and build walls to hold us back. They have vowed to work to repeal marriage equality and push for the passage of the discriminatory, so-called First Amendment Defense Act which would bring Kim Davis-style discrimination to our federal government.

Fortunately, HRC’s polling shows our opponents are increasingly finding

themselves in the minority. In several battleground states — including Florida and North Carolina — the number of LGBTQ adults alone exceeds the average margin of victory in the last three presidential elections.

That’s why it’s so crucial that we continue organizing to elect pro-equality candidates. The LGBTQ community can make a difference in key states around the country, to say nothing of pro-equality voters. In fact, HRC’s polling has found growing support for LGBTQ equality from voters around the country.

Polls show that allies of the LGBTQ community can play a crucial role, too, on Election Day. Did you know that nearly 9 in 10 Americans know someone who

is LGBTQ? Further, more than one-third of Americans know someone who is transgender.

When we speak out about our lives and the continuing challenges we face, we can change hearts and minds.

And our stories are important.

That is why we must continue to share our stories so we can push Congress to pass the Equality Act. An enormous percentage of LGBTQ Americans have experienced discrimination. Sixty-three percent report experiencing discrimination in their personal lives, and 47 percent of these report experiencing discrimination in the workplace.

The numbers, below, show how Americans support equal treatment under the law.

A 55 PERCENT

A 59 PERCENT

FULLY 60 PERCENT

are less likely to support a candidate for president who opposes allowing same-sex couples to marry, including 40 percent who strongly oppose. This majority includes three key groups that all voted Republican in the last election — independents, married women and white millennials. Only 28 percent are more likely to vote for a president who opposes marriage equality. [GQR* for HRC, July 2015]

are less likely to support a candidate for president who opposes protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination. This is not just a progressive base issue.

A 61 percent majority of independent voters say they are less likely to support a candidate who opposes these protections, as do 58 percent of Catholic voters, 54 percent of blue-collar voters and 60 percent of married women.

[GQR for HRC, July 2015]

are less likely to support a candidate for president who supports laws allowing government officials such as Kim Davis to discriminate and deny services to LGBTQ people. That includes 62 percent less likely among independents, 63 percent less likely among seniors, and 62 percent less likely among non-college respondents.

[GQR for HRC, Sept. 2015]

MAJORITY OF VOTERS

MAJORITY OF VOTERS

OF AMERICANS

Volunteer with HRC to elect pro-equality candidates! Sign up at www.hrc.org/volunteer * Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

23

®

LOUD & CLEAR

5 WAYS TRUMP HAS VOWED TO ROLL BACK LGBTQ EQUALITY 3 2

4 5

1

Here’s the reality: Everything we’ve gained under President Obama is at risk if Donald Trump wins the White House.

See for yourself how Trump has pledged to roll back equality.

Photo: Chris O'Meara / AP

1. Eliminating Nationwide Marriage Equality Trump has long opposed nationwide marriage equality, calling himself a “traditional guy,” even waffling on whether he supports civil unions. The presumptive GOP presidential nominee told “Fox News Sunday” he would appoint justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who would reverse nationwide marriage equality.

Evangelical voters can “trust me” to oppose marriage equality, Trump has promised conservative leaders.

2. Signing a Law Sanctioning Kim Davis-Style Discrimination Trump also supports a disgusting anti-LGBTQ bill, the so-called First Amendment Defense Act (FADA). If passed, this bill would enable discrimination against LGBTQ people nationwide.

“I will do all I can to make sure it [FADA] comes to my desk for signatures and

enactment,” he wrote in a letter to the American Principles Project, a far-right group.

Specifically, FADA would allow organizations and businesses contracting with the federal government to circumvent protections for same-sex couples and their families. It would also enable federal employees to refuse to fully perform their duties if they believe they conflict with their objection to same-sex marriage, enabling Kim Davises nationwide.

An example: An employee at the Department of Veterans Affairs could refuse to process a claim for survivor benefits for the same-sex spouse of a service member.

Trump also told the Iowa Faith and Family Coalition that he would make the passage of legislation creating loopholes to discriminate a priority.

Referencing Christians and religious liberty, Trump said he would support such laws because “…We’re not being protected,” Breitbart reported.

3. Letting Anti-LGBTQ Governors Write Discrimination into Law In a single day, Trump spoke out of both sides of his mouth about North Carolina’s

extreme anti-LGBT law, HB 2. By the end of the day, Trump told Fox News he would do nothing to intervene as president.

“What I support is let the states decide, and I think the states will do hopefully the right thing.”

He is suggesting if a state wants to go through with a law that puts LGBTQ people at risk, he will stand by and hope for the best. He then went further — offering a full-throated endorsement of HB 2 at a rally in North Carolina on July 6. As far as Trump is concerned, states should be free to violate federal laws and deny LGBTQ people equal treatment.

4. Repealing President Obama’s Executive Orders Trump says he looks forward to repealing President Obama’s executive orders, i.e., the measure protecting LGBTQ employees working for federal contractors is at risk.

Under a Trump administration, a company doing business with the government and receiving taxpayer dollars could say “You’re fired” to LGBTQ employees just because of who they are. “Trump said that within an hour of taking the oath of office — but possibly within two minutes — he would undo many of Obama’s executive orders,” The Washington Post reported.

5. Attacking Those Who Are “Different” Throughout his campaign, Trump belittles and maligns anyone he considers different. The LGBTQ community is as diverse as our country, including women, immigrants, Muslims, people of color, people living with disabilities, asylum seekers and others Trump has attacked.

Consider his attacks on immigrants, whom he has called “criminals, drug dealers, rapists.” About 30 percent of LGBTQ immigrants — or 267,000 people — are undocumented adults. Trump would deport them, breaking up LGBTQ families.

He has also called women “pigs” and other offensive terms.

Trump attacked U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, claiming he had an “absolute conflict” in a case because of his “Mexican heritage” and his membership in a Latino lawyers association. Not only has Trump refused to apologize, he reportedly has urged campaign surrogates to attack the judge for his heritage.

WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

25

WE S TA ND WITH ORLANDO

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Symantec is proud to support the Human Rights Campaign.

To learn more, visit symantec.com/corporate_responsibility

#orlando #loveconquershate © 2016 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved.

MAACCYY’ S’ SH R M TBHEER SV I T S 2O0F1 6T O H REL A 20 ATNC D OB SSH O TTIINNGG, M OENM OE RS CH T IEM SV IOCFT ITM HE N1 D6O O NR I GLH LU HO OO T HAEN I RD L S OTVA EN D DOSN E T HW E IETNHT I TR H E EL IGRB TL Q CE OD MM PSR, OAUNDDLY OV OUNNEI TS Y, MACY’S HONORS THE VICTIMS OF THE 2016 ORLANDO NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING, W H O M W E P R O U D LY S U P P O R T. E E LEGNBTTI R QE CL O MTM TM Y U N I T Y, T H E I R L O VAEN D DO T NH E SE, E AN NT DI R TH GB Q UCN OIM W H O M W E P R O U D LY S U P P O R T.

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6/24/16 4:10 PM

In the face of the tragedy in Orlando, our support for the LGBT community has never been stronger. Accenture is committed to ensuring an inclusive environment, where you can be yourself and, as a result, be inspired. We believe diversity makes our company stronger, smarter and more innovative, and together, we lead with pride. #PrideAtAccenture

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At Accenture, being equal makes us greater than.

When we stand together,

LOVE WINS.

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The Cargill Pride Network, a business resource group representing the LGBT community, is a proud sponsor of the Human Rights Campaign.

Cargill is committed to helping people and organizations thrive. www.cargill.com Š 2016 Cargill, Incorporated

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CELEBRATING THE IMPACT OF MEMBERSHIP AND HONORING YOUR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE LGBTQ RIGHTS MOVEMENT. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of membership at this moment. Quite simply, HRC wouldn’t exist without you. Period. And today, your support and dedication to the LGBTQ rights movement matters more than ever — the more you give, the more we can accomplish together. Thank you!

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PRUDENTIAL

MICROSOFT

W HOTELS WORLDWIDE

ORANGE COUNTY GARDEN PARTY AUG. 6, 2016 • The Potting Shed by Carlisle • Jeff Brumett • hrc.org/ocgardenparty SAN DIEGO GALA AUG. 13, 2016 • Hotel Del Coronado • Clarione Gutierrez, Geri Rochino & Victor Ravago • hrc.org/sandiegodinner

MITCHELL GOLD + BOB WILLIAMS NATIONWIDE INSURANCE NORTHROP GRUMMAN TARGET

SILVER

BRONZE

BP

AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL

COX ENTERPRISES

BOSTON SCIENTIFIC

EY

CAPITAL ONE

GOOGLE

CARGILL

HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION

DELL

MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL

CLEVELAND GALA AUG. 27, 2016 • Hilton Cleveland Downtown Hotel • Luz Pellot, Justin Weseloh & Shawn Wolfe • www.hrcclevelandgala.com

NIKE

GAYDESTINATIONWEDDINGS.COM/ SANDOS HOTELS & RESORTS

PEPSICO

GOLDMAN SACHS

TYLENOL

HERSHEY IBM

SEATTLE GALA AUG. 27, 2016 • Seattle Sheraton • hrcseattle.org

NEW ENGLAND GALA OCT. 8, 2016 hrcboston.org/dinner

NATIONAL DINNER

SAN FRANCISCO GALA OCT. 22, 2016 www.sfhrcgala.org

SEPT. 10, 2016 • Washington Convention Center • June Crenshaw & Bruce Rohr • hrcnationaldinner.org TWIN CITIES DINNER SEPT. 24, 2016 • Minneapolis Convention Center • Tal Anderson & Ann Dyste • hrc.org/twincitiesdinner

SAN ANTONIO GALA NOV. 5, 2016 hrc.org/sanantoniodinner

ST. LOUIS GALA OCT. 1, 2016 hrc.org/stlouisdinner

CHICAGO GALA NOV. 12, 2016 hrcchicago.org

His will provides for his niece and a day when LGBTQ hate crimes are history once and for all.

Make your dreams for the future a reality by leaving a gift for HRC in your will or trust. For more information, contact Adam Swaim, director of estate planning, at 866-772-9499, adam.swaim@hrc.org, or download our complimentary planning publications at hrc.org/legacy.

MACY’S, INC. METLIFE MORGAN STANLEY ORBITZ PFIZER REPLACEMENTS, LTD. SHELL STARBUCKS SYMANTEC CORPORATION TD BANK

PALM SPRINGS GARDEN PARTY NOV. 5, 2016 www.hrcpalmsprings.org

BLACK TIE GALA OCT. 1, 2016 blacktie.org

LINCOLN FINANCIAL GROUP

WHIRLPOOL

CHEFS FOR EQUALITY OCT. 26, 2016 chefsforequality.org

Leave a gift for HRC in your will or trust.

Maximizing the Potential of All of Our People At Goldman Sachs, we know that diversity and inclusion are pivotal to our success and culture of excellence.

We proudly sponsor the Human Rights Campaign and support its mission to promote the equality of the LGBT community and achieve fairness for all.

© 2016 Goldman Sachs. All rights reserved.

WWW.HRC.ORG

SUMMER 2016

35

PASSERSBY STOPPED and wrote notes of support for the victims and loved ones of the Pulse nightclub massacre at a special memorial set up by the Human Rights Campaign at its building for several days after the Orlando incident. HRC employees staffed a small table and bulletin boards, located below the enlarged photos and names of the 49 victims.

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EQUALITY

SUMMER 2016

A little thank-you for your passion Nationwide® appreciates your commitment to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Thanks to HRC members like you, the goal of full LGBTQ equality is closer than ever!

We’re passionate about making a difference, too. Working with HRC is just one way we prove that we’re more than a business. Another way is helping HRC members save money on their car insurance.

Learn more about our relationship with HRC and special discounts for members.

nationwide.com/HRC |

1-888-490-1556

#orlando #loveconquershate

Nationwide Insurance has made a financial contribution to this organization in return for the opportunity to market products and services to its members or customers.

Products underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies. Home Office: Columbus, OH 43215. Subject to underwriting guidelines, review, and approval. Products and discounts not available to all persons in all states. Nationwide and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2016 Nationwide AFR-0212AO.1 (6/16)

We stand with Orlando.

American Airlines is proud to support the Human Rights Campaign and the LGBT community. #OrlandoStrong

American Airlines, the Flight Symbol logo and the Tail Design are marks of American Airlines, Inc. Š 2016 American Airlines, Inc. All rights reserved.